A high-throughput workstation for cell-based assays is requested for the use for researchers at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. This system is comprised of a liquid handler integrated with a plate reader (with fluorescence, luminescence and absorbance detection) for processing and measuring multiwell assay plates. Users at Mount Sinai will use the instrument for the development and execution of cell-based high-throughput screens of siRNA libraries. This instrument will be housed in and maintained by the High-Content Screening Shared Resource Facility (HCS-SRF), a centralized organization at Mount Sinai that is directed at providing access to genome-wide siRNA screening methods to Mount Sinai researchers. The facility's staff of two dedicated biomedical researchers will provide ongoing support and training for users of the microwell plate-reader system and will be responsible for its maintenance. PROJECT NARRATIVE: The requested instrument will support research in virology, neurology, oncology and developmental biology. The information generated on this system could help to indentify novel therapies for the treatment of a variety of major human health problems, including cancer, pain, flu, and psychiatric disorders, including psychosis.